That adventure allotted her time to mature and evolve but only triggered her lust for travel, once again, which she did for the next year. Her experiences in Europe, South America, Latin America and North America helped shape her unique perspective having seen incredible landscapes and cities as well as poverty and dishonesty.
She and her husband, Ben (whom she met while working on the boat) finally settled down to raise their first son. During this time, she completed an additional 36 college credit hours in Fine Art through St. Louis Community College-Meramec. She enjoyed her first group show through the University of Missouri-St. Louis. After which, she continued to paint, draw, and write while rehabbing their old home and giving birth to two more sons. She has been exhibiting in St. Louis and continues to raise her sons who are now 8, 3, and 1.
Artist's statement: As a painter, I'm free to evoke my emotions through visible struggles. Without having to digest and evaluate them, they remain raw. My paintings are intended to be an honest interpretation of my world colored by my emotions.
The motif of my struggle is showing how ugly can be pretty. Rust, corrosion and foulness are beautiful to me because they are honest. The paint itself is the central character of my works. By utilizing the material's fludity, my struggle becomes palatable. In a world scared to lie truly, the ugly underbelly of our existence is the foundation of everything beautiful. The point? To accept the world's imperfections and our own imperfect selves. (Artist's website)
Each Something Is A Celebration Of Nothing
29" x 53"
Acrylic on canvas
$850
Going From Nothing Towards Something
34" x 56"
Acrylic on canvas
$850
I Have Something To Say
30" x 54"
Acrylic on canvas
$850
We Carry Our Homes Within Us
54" x 38"
Acrylic on canvas
$1100
When Desire Is Silenced The World As I-dea Becomes Manifest
44" x 34"
Acrylic on canvas mounted on window frame
$850
When Nothing Is Securely Possessed One Is Free To Accept
54" x 39"
Acrylic on canvas
$1100
It Is, In Fact, Sometimes Too Beautiful
80" x 30"
Enamel on door
(Name your own price)
The First Question I Ask Myself When Something Doesn't Seem To Be Beautiful Is Why Do I Think It's Not Beautiful
(Name your own price)
If Something Is Boring After Two Minutes, Try It For Four
(Name your own price)